South Main’s era of rebirth highlighted by $100 million cash infusion

If those planning the emerging renaissance in the South Main district find the formula for preserving the “vibe” that makes the area unique and growing the district in the process, they should apply for a patent.

HopeWorks will hold its fifth annual A Morning of Hope fundraiser Saturday, March 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Woodland Hills Event Center, 1000 Woodland Hills Drive. Bill Courtney, entrepreneur and the former coach featured in “Undefeated,” will present the keynote. Tickets are $50. Visit whyhopeworks.org or call 272-3700.

At a recent appearance in Nashville before an audience of 100 clients, friends and employees at the Country Music Hall of Fame, David Waddell of Waddell & Associates Inc. gave his company’s annual state of the union address.

Jenny Kiesewetter is getting ready to move her boutique law firm into what will be its third home in three years, a product of the workload for employee benefits attorneys like her swelling with each passing month as new regulations come down from the federal government.

Lifeblood celebrates 50th anniversary by honoring those who give

For more than 50 years, Lifeblood has served an invaluable function to the local community by working with hospitals to meet the constant demand for clean units of blood to be used for traumas and other surgeries.

If U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee Judge Samuel “Hardy” Mays appoints a special master to oversee the merger of Shelby County’s two public school systems, there are legal questions about how much authority the master would have and precisely what he or she would do to advance the merger’s pace.

When U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee Judge Samuel “Hardy” Mays summoned attorneys from all sides in the schools merger case to his conference room Monday, Feb. 25, there was someone else in the room.

AutoZone blames slower sales on tax refund delay, winter weather

Years after Henry Turley experienced the Memphis sanitation workers’ strike and the aftermath of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, took advantage of the Community Reinvestment Act and persuaded banks to reinvest in the Downtown core, not to mention spearheaded revitalization in the Harbor Town and Uptown areas, he’s making a “micro bet” on building nice neighborhoods around excellent schools.

The Memphis VA Medical Center at 1030 Jefferson Ave. recently held an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony to announce the opening of its new $5.3 million Women’s Center, which should help to meet increased demand for services for returning female military personnel.

Petrina’s passion for The Peabody shows in duckmaster role

Two times a day, every day, The Peabody hotel guests that Anthony Petrina is responsible for perform their time-honored routine, eliciting camera flashes and adoration from tourists while helping preserve the continuity of a popular tradition at the hotel.

The tall ceilings and 100-year-old wood flooring of the historic 409 S. Main St. building were right in line with the American Advertising Federation Memphis’ 2013 ADDY Awards ceremony, themed beware of “The Creeping Boredom.”

D.J. Stephens was 1-for-6 from the free-throw line when, at game’s end, he needed to miss a foul shot on purpose to give the Tigers one last desperate chance at a tip-in that would have tied the game at Xavier.

Melanie A. Keller has been named president of Meritan Inc. Keller, who joined the nonprofit social services agency in 2006, previously served as its executive vice president. In her new role, she is responsible for oversight of more than 500 employees and contractors as well as the agency’s $21 million annual budget. Keller also manages its quality improvement and strategic planning efforts.

As Jim Collins explains in “Great by Choice,” all business leaders are bombarded with both great luck and bad breaks. The smartest CEOs learn not to squander sudden opportunities and figure out how to turn dismal news to their advantage – multiplying the benefits of whatever hand they’re dealt. Maximizing your “ROL” (Return on Luck) should be top of your list, every day. But your ROL is just part of the picture. Here are four more ideas that will help you achieve great results in 2013 and beyond.

Ray’s Take I’m always emphasizing the importance of saving for retirement. However, you need more than a savings plan if you want to improve your odds for a more fulfilling “third act” of life. You also need to have a plan for what you actually want to do with your time.

The voice mail message on my private office line went like this: “This is (name omitted) at (address omitted). Recycling gave me this number. I’m trying to get a trash barrel for my house. It’s been three months since we had one, and I’m using my neighbor’s. Someone get in touch with me as soon as possible at (phone number omitted).”

For more than a decade, companies have slowly shifted their focus to fit an era of deep consumer engagement. They have begun to embrace social media management, and they are better integrating print and TV campaigns with their online and social media presence. Unfortunately, it’s not enough.

According to legend, Henry Ford scoffed at market research and what we now call Consumer Insights, proclaiming, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” While there is a certain degree of wisdom in this statement, it has been misquoted to justify bad, hubris-inspired product failures by too many corporate egos.

Last week we focused on a new form of mentorship, aimed at talent development and retention, with the University of Memphis and their LEAD program’s Professional Connection Lunches. This week let us discuss an organization that is uniting and inspiring diverse young people to become confident and courageous leaders committed to community transformation: BRIDGES.

Remember Relative Value One by-product of the Federal Reserve’s loose monetary policy is the widespread positive returns that numerous asset classes have been able to experience. For instance, from March 9, 2009 (the closing low on the S&P 500), thru Dec. 31, 2012, the cumulative returns of the SPDR Barclays High Yield Bond ETF (JNK) and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) have been 128 percent and 127 percent, respectively. Whether your chosen investment was high-yield bonds or the 500 stocks in the S&P 500, returns have been identical since the bottom.

Many people in the relatively danger-free world of modern white-collar workers seem to be stressed out these days. Perhaps this is because they are ill-equipped to function in the modern world. I’ve been playing around with mathematics and time to help explain what is going on.